


The One Where They Have Brunch

by flaming_muse



Category: Glee
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-06-05
Updated: 2012-06-05
Packaged: 2017-11-06 23:15:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,061
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/424303
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/flaming_muse/pseuds/flaming_muse
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kurt invites Rachel and Blaine to brunch at the new tea room in Lima. (Appropriate summer brunch attire requested, hats optional.)</p><p>set a week or so after 3x22 ("Goodbye")</p>
            </blockquote>





	The One Where They Have Brunch

**Author's Note:**

  * Translation into Deutsch available: [The One Where They Have Brunch](https://archiveofourown.org/works/11512068) by [Klaineship](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Klaineship/pseuds/Klaineship)



Kurt insists on taking Rachel out for a celebratory brunch the day after she returns from her post-graduation trip to New York. Blaine isn’t really surprised by Kurt’s generosity of spirit, because it’s one of the things he most admires about his boyfriend when it comes to the surface, but he still is taken aback for a second by the idea when Kurt tells him about it. He knows Kurt can’t really want to hear about the details of the future that isn’t his right now, but then as far as Blaine can tell Kurt’s never shied away from being hurt if he thinks it’s the right thing to do for someone he cares about.

“You should come, too,” Kurt continues, removing a few more of the colored sticky notes from the objects on his bookcase. He said they were originally a part of his preliminary packing process, but he has turned the idea into a summer culling and cleaning project instead. He hands Blaine a book and gestures toward the discard box.

“Are you sure?” Blaine knows Kurt and Rachel have a special relationship, and if Blaine loves them both in different ways he also knows he doesn’t want to be a third wheel. He wonders without any real frustration if he’ll ever not feel like a third wheel with the two of them, just like he always felt like a fourth tagging along when they went out when she was still with Finn. They’ve all known each other so much longer, no matter that he has friendships with them now, too. They have more shared history. That makes them closer just by default.

“Rachel will be _thrilled_ to have us both fussing over her.” Kurt looks back over his shoulder at him, a vulnerability and a question in his eyes. “And I’d like not to be the only one doing it. You know how exhausting she can be.” He adjusts their new picture from this year’s prom with careful fingers before moving on.

Blaine can see Kurt means he wants Blaine’s support, even if he can’t quite say it like that, so he replies, “Then we’ll all go.”

Kurt smiles at him with a soft gratitude. “Excellent. I was thinking we’d go to that new tea room, the one that’s not going to get enough patrons in this town to survive the summer.” He spins and looks speculatively at his closet and then smiles even more over at Blaine. “We’ll make it an event. I’d tell you to wear something nice, but you always do.”

"So do you," Blaine says, warmed by the compliment; it's an important one, coming from Kurt.

"Well, obviously," Kurt replies, but he leans in for an approving, drawn-out kiss as he passes by.

Rachel, as expected, is bursting with excitement as she joins them at their square, white-tableclothed table in the tea room the next morning. Blaine doesn’t know if Kurt texted her the dress code or if she just has a similar sense of occasion to Kurt’s, but she’s wearing a pretty yellow and white dress and has her hair bound back with a matching ribbon. She looks and smells like sunshine as she hugs them each in greeting before sitting beside Kurt and opposite Blaine.

“This was a wonderful idea,” she says, taking off her neat white gloves, putting her napkin in her lap with a flourish, and picking up the menu sitting across her bread plate. “But let’s order before we talk. I’m starving. I think I’m still on New York time.”

Frowning, Blaine picks up his own menu. “Isn’t New York in the same time zone as us?”

“It is, but it’s a whole different _pace_ ,” she says. “Here seven o’clock is early, but there - there, the city has been up for _hours_. You remember, Kurt.”

“Yes.” The word is mild, but Kurt doesn’t look up from where he’s reading the insert about the day’s specials. Blaine knows Eggs Benedict with asparagus isn't actually that enthralling, as delicious as it sounds.

Rachel bites her lip and wilts a little before opening her menu; apparently she has come to the same conclusion as Blaine about Kurt's attitude toward the specials.

It takes a few minutes for them to decide - and another few minutes of discussion with their server for Rachel to feel sure that the vegan options are actually vegan and not just vegetarian items filled with the hidden landmines of milk and eggs - and then they’re left alone with their delicate white porcelain cups of coffee on equally delicate saucers, the spray of wildflowers at the edge of the table, and each other.

Rachel’s eyes dart to Blaine’s and over to Kurt, like she’s unsure of whether the enthusiasm she came in with is welcome, but then Kurt smiles that brave smile Blaine remembers from last year when Kurt was still at Dalton and was talking with his friends who were going to Nationals without him, raises his cup, and says, “To Rachel. Congratulations. For being on your way.”

“To Rachel,” Blaine echoes with pride in his boyfriend as well as her. He lifts his own cup, and she returns the gesture with a sparkle of tears in her eyes.

“Thank you,” she says. “I’m touched. This is - thank you.” There’s a wobble in her voice that makes Blaine’s worry grow. Not everything that’s happened to her in the past week has been good, after all. She may have gotten into NYADA, but she lost Finn. They were supposed to have been _married_ by now.

“How are you doing?” he asks.

“It was obviously an emotional trip, and an emotional homecoming, too, so I’m happy to have this time with the two of you.” She lays her hand over Kurt’s wrist on the table beside her and reaches across for Blaine’s to hold them both for a quick moment.

“It’s a lot of changes,” Blaine says as she returns her hands to her lap.

Rachel nods. “Yes, and I - “ She looks over at Kurt. “Is Finn - ? We haven’t - ”

Kurt shrugs one shoulder, his expression softening with sympathy. “He won’t talk to me about it. He... seems sure of himself. He’s not wallowing in ice cream and sad movies, anyway. Then again, that’s not really his style. He’s not wallowing in video games.” He pauses and then adds more gently, “But even if he thinks it’s the right choice, even if it _is_ the right choice for you both, he’s hurting, too. Don’t think it was easy.”

She nods again, pressing her lips together as she looks down at the tablecloth and blinks hard, and then she draws herself up with a breath. “Okay. Thank you.”

“Rachel,” Kurt says, taking her hand again, and she grips his fingers so tightly her knuckles turn white.

“It’s okay,” she whispers back.

Blaine toys with the edge of the tablecloth where it drapes across his lap and wonders if he should have declined the invitation after all. Neither of them seems to remember that he’s here, and he’ll never have quite the same connection with Rachel that Kurt does. Maybe they should be doing this alone.

Besides, at the end of the day, he kind of feels more for Finn than he does for her, having to make the sacrifice of giving up the person he loves so that she can fly free and achieve everything she should. At least she’s leaving. At least she has this big future ahead. Finn just doesn't think he can follow without dragging her down. Blaine understands that.

Blaine considers the idea of reaching out to him, maybe getting the guys together to do something a little more deliberate than their impromptu video game nights. Maybe a dinner out at that pizza buffet Puck likes so much, then mini-golf or something where they can talk if they want but there isn’t pressure. Something that shows their support.

He’s not sure Finn would care that much, though. He’s a guy. Guys don’t really take care of each other like that.

Well, most guys. He and Kurt do, but not the others. Blaine might be at home in the boisterous camaraderie of the New Directions boys, but their friendship isn’t like the bond that Kurt has with Rachel. Kurt’s his best friend, his closest friend by far, and Blaine doesn’t really have anything else like the two of them have. He has friends, but he doesn’t have _that_.

Even if he’s happy that the New Directions guys have replaced the void in his life left by the Warblers, Blaine looks at Kurt watching Rachel with sympathy and wonders if he’s just not the kind of gay man who attracts a close female friend like that. He can't help but feel the lack a little, because as much as he loves Rachel and she loves him back, as much as they’ve forged a relationship this year around West Side Story, duets, and dreams of the future, she’s undoubtedly Kurt’s. So are Tina and Mercedes, and if Kurt might not claim Santana it’s not like she likes Blaine any better.

Maybe in college it will be different, Blaine thinks, when he will meet girls who don’t know Kurt first. It isn't like he has had much opportunity at Dalton or McKinley to make female friends without Kurt. Or maybe he’ll just be happy with what he has, because honestly why wouldn’t they like Kurt more? He’s _Kurt_. Blaine can just enjoy them from the third seat.

The server comes back with a basket full of warm baked goods nestled in a striped towel, pointing out the vegan ones for Rachel, and they all pull out of their thoughts. Kurt draws his hand back, and his eyes warm as he looks over at Blaine.

“So, tell us about your trip,” Kurt says, picking out a croissant after Rachel takes the vegan muffin. He sounds a little breathy, and he looks pale next to the pristine white shirt beneath his vest, but he manages a smile that even Blaine believes.

“I don’t want to monopolize the conversation,” she replies.

Kurt laughs and rolls his eyes. “Yes, you do.”

It takes a second, and then Rachel laughs, too. “Yes, I do,” she says, leaning in. “It was so different than our trip last year.”

Kurt quirks his head in question. “It was?”

“It really was. I don’t know how to describe how it felt to stand on the sidewalk there this time. It’s one thing to be there dreaming of staying; it’s another to be there knowing it’s time to conquer it. It’s _New York_.” There’s an awe in her voice that’s colored by a hint of fear.

"It’s real this time,” Kurt says, and she gives a jerky nod.

“But it’s where you want to be," Blaine reminds her. He takes another bite of croissant; it’s buttery and warm.

She nods again. "It is, more than anything." She doesn't sound entirely happy about it, though, and Blaine can understand wanting something so badly you fear it; it’s sort of like he’d been feeling about loving Kurt but being afraid of him leaving, leaving Blaine behind. He wants Kurt with all of his heart, like Rachel wants to conquer New York, but that doesn’t mean they can’t still be rejected.

“You can do it, Rachel,” Kurt says.

“I know,” she replies with a determined nod. “I can, and you can, too, but - being there, knowing - “ Her smile to Kurt is apologetic. “ - knowing that you didn’t make it into NYADA this year, _you_ , Kurt, and if you didn’t then it’s going to be _hard_ , and it just feels like a lot bigger mountain to climb than it did last year.”

Blaine can’t even imagine what the competition in the program is going to be like, because he’d seen Kurt’s audition, too, and he knows just how exceptional Kurt is. What her classmates must be like is unthinkable. He’s surprised to feel a surge of sympathy for Rachel about getting in; it’s not going to be easy for her, especially without her best friend there. She’s going to be in New York alone, with only her talent and ambition to support her. That’s cold comfort in the dark hours of the night.

“You can do it,” Kurt tells her again. “You’re Rachel Berry. And I expect you to blow them all out of the water for us both.”

“I will,” she promises in a sad little whisper.

“You’re amazing, Rachel,” Blaine says. “You’re special.”

“You are,” Kurt agrees. “And since I won’t be there you can always call and sing to me, and you’ll know my opinion is honest because I won’t have any reason to sabotage you.”

“You never sabotage me,” she says.

Kurt shrugs and glances over at Blaine with just a hint of an embarrassed grimace. “Not in a few years, anyway.”

“That was a long time ago,” Rachel assures Blaine, and Blaine raises his eyebrows because now might not be the time but there’s definitely a story there. He doesn’t know if it’s funny or sad, but he wants to know what it is. He loves getting these glimpses of Kurt from before he knew him, because despite how hurt Kurt was before he went to Dalton he’s been self-assured and strong as long as Blaine’s known him; it’s comforting in a way to know that Kurt has had his weaker moments. It makes him a little more human.

Not that Blaine doesn’t know Kurt’s faults and foibles, his insecurities and weaknesses. He’s seen Kurt bouncing off the walls with nerves, bubbling over with excitement, speechless with desire, and so burdened by sadness that he can barely sit upright. Blaine knows that Kurt snaps his fingers at waiters (which Blaine thinks is rude), tears up at sappy commercials (which is adorable), sneezes at the scent of lavender (strange), is both drawn to and mildly freaked out by cats (confusing), never likes a picture of himself (insane), and is oddly worried that he’s going to end up bald like his father even though those genes come through the female line (totally illogical - although Kurt already has an impressive number of creative potential hair and hat solutions should his fears come true).

Blaine knows all of the good and the bad. So he knows Kurt isn’t perfect, but like a mythical hero with a deadly flaw, all of that only adds to the mystique for Blaine.

He’s _Kurt_ , and he’s like no one else in the world.

Blaine smiles a little over at him, struck by gratitude for just being together, and Kurt catches the expression and smiles back, that wonderful way he has where his mouth starts it off and it works its way upwards until his eyes crinkle by the end.

“You don’t want to know,” Kurt tells him. The twinkle in his eye makes Blaine’s tiny worry about the story disappear; to Kurt it’s a funny one.

“I’m pretty sure I do,” Blaine replies.

“Trust me. It wasn’t the finest hour for either of us.”

“I’m just glad there aren’t pictures,” Rachel says, very deliberately smoothing her dark hair over her shoulder.

“Pictures? Okay,” Blaine says, wanting another piece of the Kurt-puzzle to be revealed. “Now I _have_ to know.”

Kurt gives Rachel a speculative glance before saying to Blaine with a little shake of his head, “Today isn’t the day for this one.”

Blaine has to trust him, so he nods and lets the topic drop for the moment and smears the last bite of his croissant with strawberry jam before popping it into his mouth.

“The past aside, my offer stands,” Kurt tells Rachel. “My honest opinion, any time you need it.”

“Thank you,” she replies softly. She hesitates for a second. “You’re being very good about this, Kurt.”

He sits up abruptly, like he’s rejecting the entire notion. “Just because there’s no voodoo doll of you tucked away in my room doesn’t mean I’m doing anything special.”

Blaine has to ask, “Voodoo doll?”

“That one’s a joke,” Kurt tells him.

“But you are,” Rachel says to Kurt. “I mean, you didn’t get in, you’re not going to NYADA with me, but you’re still being so - “

Kurt shakes his head again, color rising on his cheeks. “Can we please not make this about me?” he asks, his voice rising in pitch though not volume. Blaine can see the tension thrumming through him, and he’s suddenly aware of just how much this is costing Kurt to be open and encouraging about something he wants so badly but can’t have. It’s Kurt’s nature to be supportive of his friends, but this is his _dream_. Blaine’s heart cracks a little on his behalf.

“But I want to make it about you, too. What are you going to do?” she asks.

Toying with the edge of his saucer before dropping his hand to his lap, Kurt says, “I’m considering my options.”

Blaine knows that so far that mostly means reorganizing his closets and room in a flurry of activity and watching his parents worry about Finn and his military plans, but the way Kurt says it to Rachel sounds like he’s doing more than that. Knowing Kurt, he might well be. He can hold so much inside until it’s ready to burst out, fully formed and already pulling him ahead full-speed.

“What does that mean?” Rachel’s eyes are sharp, and Blaine feels a little vindicated that she has to ask but he doesn’t. “Don’t dodge my question, Kurt. This is important.”

“It means that I’m not the one who just went on a whirlwind trip to New York to get ready to go to school there and prepare for a career on Broadway,” Kurt snaps back, “and I don’t know why _this_ is the moment in your life you’re choosing not to talk about yourself.”

Rachel draws back, stung, and Kurt’s expression goes stricken for a second before he looks away. “Pardon me for being worried about you,” she says. “I was just trying to be supportive back. You know I love you. I want you to succeed. I want you to do so many - ”

“I know,” Kurt quietly cuts her off. “But let’s not do this today, okay?”

“But - “

“Please,” Kurt says, calm, sad, and resolute, and Blaine’s heart aches for him.

“Okay.” She twists her hands in her lap and watches him, clearly wanting to get through to him but trying to respect his wishes. He meets her eyes and doesn’t say anything as her expression crumples with sympathy; Blaine can all but feel Kurt holding his breath against the thought of her bursting into tears over him.

“So, how did you like the dorms?” Blaine asks Rachel, stepping into the silence.

“To be honest,” she replies tightly, “I laughed at first when they showed me a double room, because it’s half the size of my bedroom at home. They say it’s important in college to get used to living with other people, but I don’t see why. When I’m famous I won’t need to.” The ‘when’ is a little less full of sureness as it has been in the past, like she is doubting herself in a way she didn’t used to.

“Maybe it’s for their benefit instead of yours,” Blaine offers, as much as he knows it isn’t true. That’s the kind of white lie among friends that only rankles a little to tell.

“You could be right,” she says.

“Learning to deal with divas is an important skill in the theater,” Kurt agrees, Rachel rolls her eyes and pokes his arm with her finger, their meal soon arrives, and as the conversation spins on the mood at the table slowly relaxes again.

By the time they finish their brunch, Kurt is back to his usual self, more or less, and they part with hugs and promises to see each other in a few days for a movie night at Rachel’s.

Kurt’s smiling a little as he and Blaine walk back to the car. “That went well,” he says to himself.

“Didn’t you think it would?” Blaine asks. “It was a tea room. We all like brunch and cloth napkins.”

“Yes, we do,” Kurt says, smiling a little more over at him. “But I meant for me. It went well for me.”

“Okay,” Blaine says slowly. He unlocks the passenger door and holds it open for Kurt while he gets in. He shuts it carefully when Kurt’s inside and goes around to the driver’s side. “I’m confused.”

Kurt glances over as he fastens his seatbelt with a click. “I sat through an entire brunch of Rachel talking about New York and am okay.”

“She tried to talk about other things,” Blaine reminds him.

“But she _needed_ to talk about New York. You heard her, Blaine. She’s excited, but she’s also scared beneath it all.” Kurt shrugs his shoulders. “She needed to talk, and we did, and I’m okay.”

“Are you?” Blaine asks, because he sees the tightness in Kurt’s face, hears the whisper of sadness in his voice.

“I’m okay enough,” Kurt tells him, and when Blaine reaches out his hand Kurt offers his right back. “That’s all I wanted. Okay enough. I can do this.” He nods to himself. “And that’s good.”

“It is, but - “ Blaine frowns a little and brings Kurt’s hand to his mouth. He presses a kiss to Kurt’s knuckles, wishing it could take away any of the hurt he knows is in Kurt’s heart. “You don’t have to be okay.”

Kurt twines his fingers with Blaine’s. “Yes, I do. This is my life, Blaine. She’s my friend. I need to be okay with it.” He doesn’t sound resigned; he sounds determined, and Blaine’s not sure that’s any better.

“But - “

“Blaine,” Kurt says, looking him right in the eyes like this is really important. “I need to be okay with being here. I need to be okay with Rachel. And I am.”

Blaine nods. He can understand that. He knows Kurt won’t want to be dragged down by sorrow, as much as it claws at him. He knows Kurt won’t want to be a bad friend because he’s jealous. It’s not like that all goes away, but it feels like Kurt passed a test of his own making today. He’s okay enough.

Taking a deep breath and letting it out, Kurt sinks back against the seat and smiles. He actually, fully smiles. “This is good.” He rolls his head on the headrest to look back at him. “Do you know why?”

“Why?”

“Because if I am okay, if I actually am instead of just wanting to be, then I can move forward instead of wallowing in wishing for something that didn’t happen. And do you know what comes next?”

“No,” Blaine admits.

“Neither do I,” Kurt tells him, his eyes going fierce. “But I’m ready to find out.”

Blaine looks at Kurt, all perfectly put together and determined on the other side of the gear shift, and feels his heart swell in his own chest.

He doesn’t know what will happen next, but he knows whatever it is Kurt is going to do great things. Even if it’s hard, even if more doors get closed to him, he _has_ to do great things. That’s what he’s made for. That’s who he is.

And Blaine gets to watch him do it.

Kurt squeezes his hand again and then releases it. He gestures at the steering wheel. “It’s not going to happen just sitting here,” he says. “Let’s go.”

“Where to?” Blaine asks, fitting his key into the ignition.

“The fabric store to see if I can find a button to match the one I lost, and I also want to get some better ribbon for Rachel to wear in her hair, because honestly, did you see that? It was gingham. She looked twelve. She can’t wear that in New York.”

Blaine nods and starts the car. Kurt takes a deep breath and looks out the windshield as he says, “After that, I don’t know. We’ll figure out.”

“Okay.” As Blaine pulls out of the parking space, his heart feels light, because he knows Kurt’s right.

Kurt _will_ figure it out.

Blaine has no doubt of it, and he gets to be there beside him while he does.


End file.
